A city in shock tries to make sense of the unthinkable

Daniel Colwell sang "Babe" by Styx, to a packed courtroom in his 2003 trial (Source: WALB)

AMERICUS, GA (WALB) -

Not since Daniel Colwell shot and killed two people in the Americus Walmart parking lot 20 years ago, has Americus been in such a sate of disbelief.

But that's where the citizens find themselves, after a man with a long criminal history murdered two young police officers. They were responding to a call of domestic violence that was centered on Minquell Kennedy Lembrick.

Police believe that Lembrick pulled a gun and shot life-long friends Nick Smarr and Jody Smith as they tried to question him outside the Country Club Apartments, near the Georgia Southwestern Golf course Wednesday morning.

Lembrick posted on his now-defunct Facebook page that he "wasn't going back the jail." He was found dead of an apparent suicide Thursday morning.

So tragic was the murder of two young officers-- so senselessly-- that veteran lawmen were moved to tears.

As for Daniel Colwell, he was a man with many emotional issues. He appeared at the WALB studios in 1995, wanting to go on TV, and tell his life story. No one knew at that time just how deeply he was troubled.

He randomly killed Mitchell and Judith Bell so he would be sentenced to die. For years, Daniel Colwell had a death wish, but was afraid to commit suicide. He hanged himself in prison.